Why in news? As on 01.05.2023, 728 stations are covered with 785 OSOP outlets in 21 States and 3 Union Territories across the country.
Highlights:
• Ministry of Railways has launched ‘One Station One Product’ (OSOP) scheme over Indian Railways with objectives to promote ‘Vocal for Local’ vision of the Government of India, provide a market for local/indigenous products and create additional income opportunities for the marginalised sections of society.
• Under the scheme, OSOP outlets at railway stations are allotted for showcasing, selling and giving high visibility to indigenous /local products.
• The pilot of the scheme was started on 25.03.2022
• These OSOP stalls are designed through National Design Institute for uniformity.
About ‘One Station One Product’
• They are specific to that place and include artefacts made by indigenous tribes, handlooms by local weavers, handicrafts like world famous wood carving, chikankari and zari-zardozi work on clothes, or spices tea, coffee and other processed/semi processed food items/products indigenously grown in the area.
• For example in North East India, Varieties of Assamese Pitha, Traditional Rajbongshi Dress, Jhapi , Local textile,Jute Products (Cap,Gamocha,Doll) are available on OSOP Stalls, in Jammu & Kashmir area, Kashmiri Girda, Kashmiri Kahwa & Dry Fruits are famous, in South India Cashew products, spices, Chinnalapatti Handloom Sarees are catching the attention of passengers, in Western part of the country, Embroidery & Zari Zardozi, Coconut Halva, locally grown fruits, processed foods, Bandhani are famous.
• Product categories, under this scheme, include the following:

o Handicrafts/ Artefacts
o Textiles and Handlooms
o Traditional Garments
o Local agricultural produce (including Millets)/ Processed/semi processed foods.